Running toy horse



Dec. 3, 1957 o. w. KAHLER 2,

- RUNNING TOY HORSE Filed March 2, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 H944 FlG.5 FIG. 7

INVENTOR K SCAR W. KAHLER ATTORNEYS 0- W. KAHLER RUNNING TOY HORSE Dec. 3, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed. March 2, 1956 INVENTOR- ATTORNEYS inited rates This invention relates to wheeled riding toys for young children, of the type in which the body of the toy simulates a horse or other animal and carries a seat, movable stirrups and propelling means actuated by the alternate shifting of the weight of the rider between the seat and stirrups, so that the toy will be moved forwardly with a motion having much similarity to that of a running or galloping horse.

The invention contemplates a body simulating the trunk of a horse or other animal and comprised of opposed parallel side plates rigidly spaced apart by means including a horizontal seat plate and with integral rear legs, the front legs being also fiat plates hinged to the front edges of the side plates and provided with rearwardly projecting extensions the edges of which are normally held against the edges of the side plates by spring means, together with stirrup members carried by the extensions so that the front legs may be moved forward when the rider shifts his weight from the seat to the stirrups.

The object of the invention is to provide a running or galloping toy of the above character which is of extremely simple, strong and durable construction, which may be manufactured at a relatively small cost, and which is highly effective in operation.

With the above and otherobjects and advantages in view, the invention resides in the novel combinations and arrangements of parts and the novel features of construction hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which show the present pre-' ferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is aside elevation of the improved toy;

Fig. 2 is a detail vertical longitudinal section through the front portion of the toy, on an enlarged scale, with parts broken away; the viewlooking from the inside the animal toward its right front leg member; 7

Fig. 3 is a detail vertical transverse section substantially on the line 3--3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 shows a turn-buckle associated with the coil spring to adjust its tension;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the adjustable stirrups;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a non-adjustable stirrup, and

Fig. 7 is an elevation of a chain which may be used in place of the slotted link shown in Figs. 2 and 3 to limit the swinging movement of the front legs.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the numeral 10 denotes as a whole the body of the toy. The body may be made of wood, plastic or metal and is a simulation of a horse or other animal. The body comprises two flat side plates 11 having the outline of the trunk of the animal and at their rear ends are downwardly and rearwardly projecting extensions 12 which form the rear legs. As shown the two elongated plates or sides 11 are held in opposed spaced relation by an intermediate horizontal plate 13 and curved front and rear plates 14 and 15. The

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plate 13 serves as a seat for the rider and to simulate a saddle it may carry a back rest 16 and an upright front piece 17. The upper portion of the transversely extending piece 17 is reduced to provide a hand hold 18for the rider. T o the bodyin front of the handle 18 may be suitably fastened a centrally positioned head piece 19, while a tail 20 may be fastened to the rear of the body.

Hinged to the front of the body is a pair of front leg members 21 which are forwardly and downwardly curved and which have at their upper ends rearwardly projecting extensions 22. These opposed front legs are also in the form of flat plates having the same thickness as the side plates 11, and they are movable in the same planes as the latter. The hinge connections are strap hinges having pivotally connected leaves 23 fastened by screws or other fastening means to the respective forward adjacent edges of the legs 21 and the plates 11, so the legs may swing forwardly from their normal positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In such position the straight upper edges 24 of the extensions 22 abut straight portions 25 of the lower edges of the plates 11 at the front end of the body. The legs are pulled to such position by vertical coil spring means 26 within the body and fastened at one end to the latter and at the other end to the front legs. While a single centrally positioned coil spring may be used, I preferably employ two, one being disposed adjacent the inner face of each of the side plates 11, as will be understood on reference to Fig. 3. The spring or springs 26 have their hook-shaped upper ends engaged with a transverse rod 27 extending between the plates 11 and anchored thereto. The similar lower ends of the springs engage a transverse rod 28 connecting the front leg extensions 22. If it is desired to vary the tension exerted on the extensions by the springs, the arrangement shown in Fig. 4 may be used, that is, a turn buckle 29 may be attached to one end of the coil spring 26 and anchored to one of the transverse rods, preferably the lower one 28. To limit the forward swinging of the legs 21, link-like stop means is employed between the rods 27 and 28. It may be a flexible connection such as the metal chain 30 shown in Fig.7, but I preferably used the slotted link 30 shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The link is a flat metal strip centrally positioned in the body with its upper end apertured to receive the-rod 27 and its lower end provided with a longitudinal slot 31 through which the rod 28 extends. The length of the slot or the amount of slack in the chain determines the extent ofmovement of the extensions 22 awayfrom the bottom edges of the side plates 11.

The legs 21 are swung forwardly against the tension of the springmeans 2 6 or 26 .by the rider moving his weight from the seat 13 to a pair of stirrups 32 carried by the extensions 22. These stirrups or foot-pieces are preferably made adjustable, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5. Each one has a horizontally extending foot engaging portion 33 with a vertical extension or shank 34 on one side adapted to be disposed against the outer face of one of the front leg extensions 22. The straight shank portions 34 are formed with a longitudinal row of apertures 35 any one of which may receive one of the projecting ends of a transverse rod 36 which extends between and through the extensions 22. The rod may be rotatably mounted and the stirrups may be fixed to its ends by set screws 37 threaded in openings 38 which intersect the apertures 35. To limit the swinging movement of the stirrups spaced stop pins 39*- are fixed to the side plates 11 on opposite sides of the shanks 34. When it is not desired to adjust the stirrups to the leg length of the rider, stirrups each as shown in Fig. 6 may be substituted for the adjustable stirrups. These have foot supports 33 and short shanks 34 with a single aperture 35'.

Each of the legs 12 and 21 is supported on a floor engaging wheel 39 which may be rubber tired. These supporting wheels are rotatable on the projecting ends of transverse shafts 40, one of wvhich extends between and through the rear legs 12:an d .the .other is similarly mounted on .the front legs .21. Allof the -wheels or ,at least one of the front and one of the'rear ,wheels have fixed to them ratchet Wheels 41 which coact with pawls 42 pivoted at 43 to the associated l g, as will 'be seen upon reference to Figs. 2 and 3. Thispawl and ratchet mechanism ,is so arranged that the .wheel freely rotates when the toy is moved forwardly, and .hence backward or retrograded movement is prevented. To prevent strain on the hinges 23 the intermediate portions ,of the front legs 21 may be connected by one or more transverse spacing bars or rods 44. Similar rods may connect the rear legs 12. p

In using the toy the child astride the bodyputs his feet in the stirrups and applies downward pressure, then ,releases the pressure and repeats the operation to cause the toy .to intermittently move forward. As :the stirrups move downwardly, the spring 26 is stretched as the legs 21 swing forwardly, the rear legs being heldagainst backward movement by the pawl and ratchet mechanism associated with one or both of the rear wheels. The child, holding the handle 18 then throws his weight forwardly and removes pressure on the stirrups so that the spring 26 will cause the parts to assume their normal position shown in the drawing, the body moving forwardly on the rear wheels.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it wil be seen that novel and advantageous provision has been made .for carrying out the objects of the invention, and'while preferences have been disclosed, attention is invited to the possibilityof making variations within the vscope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. In a wheeled riding toy, a pair of parallel elongated upright side plates having substantially the outline of the trunk of an animal and provided at their rear ends with downwardly projecting extensions forming transversely alined rear legs, means rigidly connecting :the upper .portions of said plates to hold them in spaced relation, said means including ;a horizontal plateforming'aseat, an upright member .at the front of said seat forming a hand hold, .a pair of opposed front leg members each formed from a fiat plate and having a rearwardly projecting extension at its upper end, strap hinges having their leaves fastened to the forward edges ofthe leg plates and .theside plates to normally disp the upper edges of fron leg extensions in contact with portions of the lower edges of said side plates, vertically disposed spring'means et e said side plates and having an upper end anchored to the latter and a lower end anchored to said front leg extensions to hold the latter in their normalpositions, means limiting the movement of said front leg extensions away from the opposed edges of said side plates, stirrup members mounted on said front leg extensions, a supporting wheel mounted on each of said front and rear legs, and means for preventing retrograde rotations of at least one front and one rear wheel.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said coil spring means includes at least one-c0il spring having its upper end attached to a :transverse rod connecting the upper forward portions of said side plates and its lower end attached to a transverse rod connecting said front leg extensions.

3. The structure of claim 2 in which said means limiting the movement of said front leg extensions comprises a link-like member connected between the two transverse rods.

4. The structure of claim 1 in which said stirrup members are mounted on the projecting ends of a transverse rod extending between and through said front leg exten- 810115.

5. The structure of claim 1 in which each of said stirrup members comprises -a foot engaging portion with an extension having a longitudinal row of openings, and a transverse rodextending between said front leg extensions with its ends projecting beyond the latter and engageable with any of said openings to adjustably mount the stirrup members on said rod.

6. In a wheeled riding toy, an elongated body simulating the trunk of an animal and having at its top a seat, laterally spaced rear legs rigidly united to the rear end of the .body, a pair of laterally spaced front leg members, hinges connecting said front leg members to the lower portion of the front of the body for forward and rearward swinging movement of the front leg members, said front leg members ,having at their upper ends opposed extensions projecting rearwardly from their hinges and adapted to normally abut bottom portions of the body, spring means between saidextensions and the body to hold said extensions in their normal positions, means limiting the forward swinging movement of said front leg members; stirrup members mounted on said front leg extensions, a supporting wheel mounted on each of said rear legs and each of said front leg members, and means for preventing retrograde rotations of at least one front and one rear wheel, whereby the toy will be propelled forwardly by the rider on the seat repeatedly transferring his weight alternately from the stirrups to the seat.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

